What’s Normal with My Period? What’s Not?
9.23.2009 | Blog, Menstruation
from NWHRC’s Your Menstrual Cycle guide
| Normal | Not Normal |
| Blood loss of about 2.5 ounces | Blood loss 10 to 25 times that amount—this usually means having a soaked pad and/or tampon every hour or less. It is most likely during puberty (when you first start your periods) and perimenopause (the years just before menopause), when reproductive hormones are erratic, If this sounds like your period, you may have abnormal uterine bleeding. |
| Menstrual cramps, typically managed with over-the-counter pain relievers. | Menstrual cramps so severe they interfere with your daily activities. These could be a sign of endometriosis or fibroids. |
| Some bloating, moodiness, headaches, etc., in the few days before your period starts. About 75 percent of women have some premenstrual symptoms. | Premenstrual symptoms that affect your quality of life. This is PMS (premenstrual syndrome) and affects about 30 to 40 percent of women.
About 3 to 8 percent of women experienced premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), a far more severe condition that significantly interferes with your daily life. Experts equate the difference between PMS and PMDD to the difference between a mild tension headache and a migraine. |
| Monthly bleeding from early adolescence through menopause, around age 51 or 52. | Any vaginal bleeding after menopause. This may be a sign of endometrial cancer. See your health care professional immediately. |
| Variability in your menstrual cycles. Before age 20 and after age 40, your cycle may become more variable (longer or shorter, heavier or lighter) thanks to fluctuating hormone levels. | Missing a period for more than one month (and not being pregnant or breastfeeding) or having a period that lasts more than 10 days. If either of these conditions occurs, see your health care professional. |
| © 2008 National Women’s Health Resource Center, Inc. (NWHRC) All rights reserved. Reprinted with permission from the NWHRC. 1-877-986-9472 (toll-free). On the Web at: www.healthywomen.org. |
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